NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS IN MALAYA

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS IN MALAYA

Communist Terrorists Not Yet Wiped Out

[By th* Rev.

KEITH CREE]

“IVO contact with the Communists in 12 months—1' tracks, yes, but no contact, no kills.”

A statement such as that, as made to me recently in Taiping, would indicate that the Kiwis of the 2nd Battalion are really engaged in a cold war in everything but temperature. But the Communist terrorists have not yet been wiped out. Chen Ping still has some thousands of his men concealed in the jungle, and every now and again a report trickles into Brigade Headquarters

Most of these reports are stale when they are received, and yield negative results, but occasionally they lead to a “kill,” though not by our Kiwis. Our boys patrol and patrol with no excitement to sustain them other than an encounter with a wild animal. The Second New Zealand Battalion is part of a very large force made up of regiments drawn from Great Britain, Australia, aijd from the Gurkhas of .Nepal. This is the 28th Commonwealth Brigade, with its headquarters at Taiping, under the command of a very fine soldier, Brigadier H. S. Mogg. D.S.O. A very large area of Northern Malaya, right to the Thai border, is “black,” which means that there may be Communists in hiding ready to carry on their underground activities. The whole area must be patrolled constantly and to this end it is parcelled out to the different units in the Brigade. Our battalion has a very large area, b t it is mostly safe. However, part of the New Zealand unit may be called on to join forces with a Commonwealth force to go into an area where there have been sightings, in- a concentrated effort to wipe out the enemy. This is the position at the present time in one area—the operations map shows a great concentration of men frdm different countries in a relatively small location. N.Z. Base Camp In the New Zealand, base camp at Taiping life goes on as it would in a base Camp anywhere. There is a daily training schedule, and the new jungle school that has been established provides courses in jungle warfare and' tracking. There is ample time for. recreation, and the brigade sports ground (with three tennis court) that is adjacent to our camp is

well patronised. At most times of the day a soft-ball game will be in progress. The main thing, however, Is training, and within a day or two of their return from three weeks in the jungle a platoon will be engaged in a re-training programme that builds up in intensity until the men are in top form again when they return once more for three weeks in the jungle. Each week a platoon is brought in from patrol another replaces it so that there is a constant routine of re-training, going into the jungle, returning, re-equip-ping and re-training. When a platoon goes in on replacement it travels by motor transport some 60 or 70 miles to a river where large power-driven water craft carry them upstream to the disembarkation point. Then it is “shanks pony" the rest of the way to the platoon headquarters. Both in training and on patrol the men’s clothing is wet through. The humid heat makes the perspiration run, especially lin the jungle, added to which is the daily downpour of tropical rain which can wet you through in a few seconds. However, the warmth removes any danger of chills. On patrol, one set of dry clothing is kept for night wear, but the, wet togs are put on again in the morning. Troops In Good Health The health of the troops is remarkably good although the normal daily tally of patients from the battalion in the British Military Hospital in Taiping may average a dozen. These are fairly evenly divided between the surgical, medical and skin wards. They are, of course, well looked after by the doctors and nurses and Padre Frank Green, late of Rotorua, pays a daily visit

to the hospital and sees that the boys want for nothing. Entertainment is provided. There are sports events, daily picture shows, and the occasional “live” show, but there seems to be not much -demand for organised activity—the heat is against it. One week’s leave each six months takes most of the men to Penang or Singapore to spend their money in duty-free ports. The Kiwi soldier has full use of the Australian leave centre in Penang and the British Army equivalent in Singapore. Those I talked to in these centres were enjoying themselves. One of the main recreational activities is the purchase of a car (time payment) within a few weeks of arrival. The prices are staggeringly low. The locals think the New Zealanders are roling in money as so many own cars—every third soldier. Our battalion is highly mobile, in the camp area, but the best trip is to come—the voyage home.